


I'm on My Way to Believing

by miriam271



Category: Incredibles (Pixar Movies)
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Angst, Pen Pals, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-02
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-20 17:28:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15539334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miriam271/pseuds/miriam271
Summary: Evelyn Deavor has endured 32 whole days in hell (prison) when she starts receiving anonymous notes from someone who is eager to help her. Looots of angst and eventual fluff ensues.





	1. Chapter 1

Evelyn sat on the dusty floor of her prison cell – _bored out of her mind._ She’d been in for 32 days, according to the tally she had been etching into the wall with her fingernail. It felt like 32 fucking years.

There was little to do except eat the shitty prison food, work out to let off some steam, and twiddle her thumbs as she planned Elastigirl’s demise. _That bitch._

Evelyn’s hatred for Elastigirl was always there, always simmering, yet along with it came the persistent sensation of regret – something Evelyn was hardly familiar with. She’d hurt Elastigirl beyond belief, but that alone wasn’t sufficient to produce this unfamiliar feeling in Evelyn’s gut. No, it was the fact that Elastigirl had saved Evelyn that haunted her. 

For awhile, Evelyn had considered Elastigirl’s actions to be just another instance of the self-righteousness that was so sickeningly common with Supers. Deep down, though, something told Evelyn that there was some other reason, that Elastigirl had _saved_ Evelyn because she wanted to save the special relationship they had had before everything went wrong. And this notion tightened its grip on Evelyn’s mind and heart as the days went by.

Evelyn was shocked out of her reverie when she heard a door creak open and footsteps that signaled the approach of her guard. “I have something for you.”

Evelyn looked up in surprise. “What? From whom?”

“I’m not at liberty to say.”

_I’m pretty sure you’re also not at liberty to give me anything while I’m in fucking jail._ Evelyn bit back the remark and just said, “Fine.”

The guard bent over and carefully placed a small envelope next to where Evelyn was seated on the floor. “Don’t do anything stupid with it,” he said, before walking away, closing and locking the cell door behind him.

Evelyn stared at the envelope with as much caution as if it were a ticking time bomb. Her curiosity got the better of her, though, and she ripped it open. 

Inside was a small pad of paper and a pencil, and underneath a folded note. Evelyn unfolded it and read:

_Evelyn,_

_I figured you must be bored out of your brilliant mind, so here’s a pad and pencil to keep you busy._

_I want to help you, so here’s how this is going to work. The guard will be our go-between. Write him a note requesting whatever you need to keep you healthy and busy, and he will pass it on to me so that I can get you what you need – provided that it’s practical._

_Yours,_

_H_

_P.S. I really do want to help._

“I don’t need your help!” Evelyn snarled at the note. _And who the fuck is H?_ She ripped it up furiously, but in the process managed to give herself a nasty paper cut diagonally across her palm. “Fuuuuck,” she groaned. “Fuck fuck fuck fuck.”

Blood trickled down onto Evelyn’s wrist and she wiped it off with her other sleeve. More blood appeared, and Evelyn was too exhausted from her battle with the piece of paper to do anything about it. Instead, she rolled over onto her stomach with a resigned sigh and let sleep claim her. 

 

The first thing Evelyn saw when she woke up was another envelope, just like the one the guard had brought her before. _Are you fucking kidding me?_

Once again too curious for her own good, Evelyn ripped open the envelope to find a single Band-Aid and a note:

_Evelyn,_

_This is for your paper cut. Do you still think you don’t need my help?_

_Yours,_ _H_

Evelyn stared at the note in shock for a full minute before giving in and putting the Band-Aid on her palm. Then she picked up the pad of paper and pencil and wrote the following:

_H,_

_Okay, I’ll play._

_1\. Who the fuck are you?_

_2\. Why do you want to help me?_

_Not yours, ever,_

_Evelyn_

_P.S. I could really use a book. Any genre, I don’t care. But if it’s a Super comic I will find you and end you._

__

Evelyn smirked, rather pleased with herself. _This is going to be interesting. Plotting Elastigirl’s demise may just have to take a backseat for a little while._

__


	2. Chapter 2

Evelyn awoke the next day with a buzz of excitement in her chest that she hadn’t felt in a while. With her guard’s permission she went and worked out for about an hour, and by the time she took a shower and came back to her cell, there was a new, rather stuffed envelope on the floor.

She opened it eagerly to find a used copy of _War & Peace_ and another note. Evelyn groaned audibly. _At least it’s not a Super comic._

She placed the heavy book off to the side, her mind already calculating how she could bust out of jail using it, and unfolded the note to read:

_Evelyn,_

_This should keep you busy for a while. I’ve read it many times, so if you have any questions/philosophical musings, please feel free share them with me._

_To answer your questions…_

_1\. I’m not telling you my name… yet. (Also, watch your language.)_

_2\. I’m helping you because everyone deserves a second chance. Even you. Especially you._

_Is there anything else you need?_

_Yours,_

_H_

Evelyn read the note a couple times over, even more intrigued by her benefactor because of their desire to remain anonymous. She ripped a piece of paper out of the pad – one that she hadn’t yet covered with scribbles and sketches – and wrote the following:

_H,_

_W &P looks boring as hell, but I’ll give it a go. It’s not like I have much of a choice._

_I disagree that everyone deserves a second chance, but I guess I should feel lucky or whatever that you think I do._

_I like to take notes when I read… Could I have some Post-Its or something?_

_Not yours,_

_Evelyn_

_P.S. I will not watch my fucking language._

She left the note by the cell door where her guard would surely find it and turned to another unused piece of paper in her pad. She wrote the following: 

_H:_

_1\. H is the first letter of their name?_

_2\. Likes long-ass Russian novels._

_3\. Doesn’t like cursing._

_4\. Knows me well enough to know that I fucked up. Big time._

_5\. Gives a shit about other people – weird._

_6\. Gives a shit about me - even weirder._

_7\. Somehow got my guard to help them._

Evelyn sighed, not getting any closer to figuring out who the hell was helping her.

The only person that fit most of that description was Winston, but he didn’t like long-ass Russian novels, and it didn’t make sense for him to remain anonymous. _If Winston wanted to help me – which he clearly doesn’t right now – he would just come and visit._

No, this had to be someone else. _But who?_ Evelyn knew that she didn’t have a lot of fans.  
She pushed the pad away, and instead opened to the first page of _War & Peace. Might as well give this a try…_

  

For the next three days, Evelyn did nothing but eat shitty prison food, work out, and read _War & Peace_ – so not very different from how her life in jail was previously. However, in spite of herself, Evelyn found herself deeply engrossed in the novel. The hours seemed to pass faster, and she almost forgot to keep her daily tally on the wall. She also almost forgot to plot against Elastigirl.

_Almost._

Besides the occasional devious sketch on her pad, Evelyn spent much more of her brainpower trying to find out the identity of her mysterious benefactor. She felt as obsessed with this person as she had been with Elastigirl for many years, yet she only wanted to understand them, not hurt them.

_Okay, to be fair I didn’t initially want to hurt Elastigirl either._

H had not corresponded with Evelyn over the past few days, except to send the Post-Its as Evelyn had requested. The gift had been accompanied by a note that read:

_Evelyn,_

_Here are the Post-Its, as requested. Keep me posted (ha!) on your progress in W &P. I really do think you’ll like it._

_Why don’t you think that everyone deserves a second chance? Is there someone in particular that has led you to form this opinion? It’s terribly cynical._

_Take care of yourself._

_Yours,_

_H_

After cross-examining the note, Evelyn had added _“8. Has a good sense of humor”_ to her list of information about H. That _“Take care of yourself”_ line had produced a strange warmth in Evelyn when she first read it, and it hadn’t left her mind over the past few days.

Having read half of _War & Peace,_ Evelyn decided it was about time that H got a response. Chewing her lip, Evelyn grabbed a fresh sheet of paper – she was running low on those – and wrote the following:

_H,_

_Sorry for my late response – I’ve been (shockingly!) super into W &P. Rather than try to write all my weird thoughts about it down here, I’ll add some choice Post-Its for your perusing pleasure._

_You’re right – I am cynical. If you know anything about me (which you seem to think you do), you know that I lost my dad because of stupid Supers, so I think it’s fair to say that they don’t deserve a second chance. Especially not Elastigirl._

_I appreciate your care for my well-being. Unfortunately, I’m not very good at that “taking care of myself” thing. Obviously._

_Not yours,_

_Evelyn_

_P.S. Thanks for the Post-Its. I’m running out of paper – could you send more?_

_P.P.S. Reading this over now, I can see that some of it came out more aggressively than I meant it to. I’m sorry. I’m not very good at this whole “someone giving a shit about me” thing. Or the “taking care of myself” thing. Or really… anything._

Evelyn read what she’d wrote over and over again, and almost ripped it up. But instead, she sighed and looked for the “choice Post-Its” that she wanted to share with H.

And they were indeed _choice._ Evelyn couldn’t help smirking at the thought that giving H these notes might just help Evelyn learn a little more about her mysterious friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a longer chapter for y'all! If you have any questions about the War & Peace references (there will be more in the coming chapters), drop 'em in the comments! The book just popped into my head as a good plot device... I hope you'll understand why very soon. *winks*


	3. Chapter 3

Evelyn passed the note and Post-Its on to the guard immediately but didn’t hear back from H for a full five days. In that time, Evelyn ran all sorts of calculations in her mind and eventually came to the conclusion that H was creeped out by her and had decided to move on. _Honestly, I can’t blame them._

Each day of silence only confirmed Evelyn’s suspicions, until, on the sixth day, she found an envelope next to her when she awoke. She tore it open like a starving person who has found food, and read:

_Evelyn,_

_I am so so sorry that it took me so long to write back. You gave me a lot to think about, and I just needed some time. I hope you didn’t think that I abandoned you._

_I’m sorry about your dad and I understand why you resent the Supers that you blame for his death. The only thing I don’t understand is why you blame Elastigirl. As far as I know, she had nothing to do with what happened to your dad or any misfortune that you have suffered through since then. In fact, word on the street is that Elastigirl saved your life, even after you put her through hell. What reason do you have to hate her?_

_I enjoyed your notes on W &P. It struck me that most of them – at least the ones you favored me with – were about Hélène being, in your opinion, gay. I completely agree; I admit that I had a bit of a crush on her when I first read W&P in college. Okay, maybe I still do. And I agree with your evaluation of Natasha. I think she finds herself drawn irresistibly towards Hélène, but she is afraid of her feelings and thus chooses the safer bet: Anatole._

_I hope you’re still enjoying the book. Continue to send me your thoughts, if you like. And let me know if there’s anything else you might need._

_Yours,_

_H_

_P.S. Here’s another pad of paper. Try to make this one last a little longer._

_P.P.S. No worries. It’s okay that you’re not good at taking care of yourself – you’ve had to for so long that I think it’s about time someone else took care of you for a change. And I do care about you, however hard that is for you to believe. Believe it._

Evelyn reread the letter in stunned silence, trying to repress the wave of relief that washed over her at getting H’s reply. The emotions that this letter produced in Evelyn were so overwhelming that she needed to break them down into manageable pieces.

First, Evelyn couldn’t deny the smile that played upon her lips when she recognized that H had taken her bait about Hélène. Evelyn triumphantly added _“9. Likes women”_ to her list, but then froze as she connected that idea to some other lines in the note. _“10. Likes me that way?”_ Perhaps H. wasn’t just a secret benefactor, but a secret admirer as well. 

Evelyn had immense trouble picturing anyone harboring a crush on her, especially someone as interesting as this H person seemed to be. However, lines like _“I think it’s time someone else took care of you for a change,”_ and the mere fact that H always signed their name with _“Yours”_ seemed to point to that fact.

This possibility – that H was interested in Evelyn – caused the woman to blush in spite of herself. _And the fact that H implicitly drew a comparison between them and Natasha suggests that H is in fact a woman._

However, H’s admittedly accurate defense of Elastigirl produced an overwhelming flood of range in Evelyn, even as H’s kindness momentarily quelled it. Flustered by the conflicting emotions, Evelyn knew no other way to proceed than to write back immediately. So she did:

_H,_

_I did think you abandoned me actually, so thanks for scaring me shitless._

_Everything you said about Elastigirl is true, but I don’t have to justify my hatred of her to you or to anyone else. What you do need to justify is why you care so much about defending her. Do you know her, or something? Because I guarantee that I know her much better than you do._

_Good to know that we’re on the same page about Hélène. I can’t help but notice that you likened yourself to Natasha. Are you implying that you settled for an Anatole in your own life, even though you found yourself drawn to Hélène? I’d also like to point out that Hélène is, by all accounts, a bad woman. Are you attracted specifically to villains, by any chance?_

_Not yours,_

_Evelyn_

_P.S. I’ve attached more Post-Its. In return, could you maybe send me some lip balm? I know it probably seems like a weird thing to request when in jail, but my lips are getting as dry as my sense of humor._

_P.P.S. I’m not very good at believing in things or people, so you’re gonna have to work a lot harder to extinguish the cynic in me._

Satisfied with her work, Evelyn carefully selected some more Post-Its to share with H and waited with baited breath for what her mysterious friend would do next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Evelyn's starting to connect the dots, but will she reach the right conclusions? STAY TUNED.


	4. Chapter 4

Evelyn only had to wait two days for H’s response this time around, and in that brief interval Evelyn managed to completely finish _War & Peace. I’m pretty sure I should get a fucking medal for that accomplishment._

In that time, Evelyn had also noticed that her prison guard/messenger had warmed up to her considerably. When he brought her food, he favored her with a knowing smile. _If he knows who H is, maybe I can persuade him to tell me._ Evelyn filed that possibility away in the back of her mind for later. She wanted to get more information out of the mysterious H directly before asking the guard.

Evelyn ripped open H’s latest shipment and scoured the note for clues.

_Evelyn,_

_Again, I’m sorry I scared you. That wasn’t my intention._

_If you must know, Elastigirl and I have been friends for quite some time now, so I would sincerely doubt that you know her better than I do. From what she’s told me about you, you only got close enough to her so that you could use her, and I think you really hurt her deeply in the process._

_We’ve all had our share of Anatoles. If you insist on likening me to Natasha, then I should point out that she doesn’t end up with Anatole, but rather Pierre. While she loves Pierre, I will grant that she is not wholly satisfied in her marriage, as you pointed out in one of your Post-Its. There is probably a part of her that is deep down still longing for Hélène. And as far as my attraction to villains goes, that depends on you. While you consider yourself a villain, I would argue otherwise._

_Yours,_

_H_

_P.S. I’ve enclosed one of my barely used lip balms – I hope you don’t mind. I’ve been very busy and haven’t had much time to go shopping._

_P.P.S. Sounds like I am going to have to work harder to make you a believer. How do you suggest I do that?_

Evelyn was pretty sure her mouth hung open in response to that last line for a solid five minutes. When she finally recovered, she curiously took out the enclosed lip balm, removed the cap, and took a sniff. 

The scent was strangely familiar. Something with lavender, but also with an unexpected twist of spice. Something that Evelyn had once associated very specifically with one specific person.

But for whatever reason, at that moment Evelyn just couldn’t put her finger on it.

So instead, she put the lip balm on her chapped lips, shivering at the knowledge that the same balm had been used by her secret admirer.

_Yup, definitely an admirer._

Evelyn hadn’t been totally sure before, mostly because of her lack of self-esteem, but now the evidence was overwhelming. The parallel between Evelyn and Hélène which was even stronger because both Evelyn and Hélène had brothers, the suggestion that H only preferred villains if Evelyn was one, and the “barely used” lip balm, all pointed to H having a big crush on Evelyn.

And it was women’s lip balm. Another piece of evidence pointing to H’s most likely being a woman. _“11. Is a woman.”_ Which was lucky, because if H had been a man Evelyn would have been thoroughly repulsed.

_But if H is a woman, then I really have no objections at all to any of this…_

Still, there was something else that nagged at Evelyn - that H was friends with Elastigirl, and that Evelyn had hurt Elastigirl.

_Of course you hurt her, shithead._ That came as no surprise. But the fact that H and Elastigirl were friends… Part of Evelyn had to wonder: How close?

Eager to test out her theories and hungry for more information, Evelyn wrote the following:

_H,_

_You’re forgiven… for now._

_I had no idea you and Elastigirl were such good friends. I’m sorry that I hurt her – genuinely – but if you’re gonna take sides then you should know that she hurt me too. Everything she represents is an insult to everything that I am. So yes, I hate her. And if you’re really so eager to do me favors, killing her would be pretty damn good._

__

__

_Sorry, that got dark. Can I ask you some questions about you? Just True or False? I know you won’t tell me your name, but there are some other things I want to know…_

_1\. You’re a woman?_

_2\. You like women?_

_3\. If you are Natasha and you’ve found your Pierre, then you’re married?_

_You can ask me questions too if that makes this more fair, although you think you know me so well already._

_I finished War & Peace. Sending more Post-Its your way. (You know this means I’m gonna need some other form of entertainment now. Hint hint.)_

_Not yours,_

_Evelyn_

_P.S. Thanks for the lip balm. My lips are nice and luscious again – crisis averted._

_P.P.S. Are you flirting with me?_

Evelyn blushed profusely at how flirty the P.S. was, and blushed even further upon writing down the final question. _But I need to know._

She decided to include the rest of her Post-Its. _I have nothing to hide, and some of them may lead to more interesting revelations._

As Evelyn prepared to leave her package for the guard, she noticed with a start that she had stopped tallying the days on the wall. And to her surprise, Evelyn found that she didn’t care much anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting flirtyyyy. *winks*


	5. Chapter 5

Waiting for H’s response, Evelyn was consumed by an overwhelming feeling of anxiety that wouldn’t let her sleep. She felt as though she was back in high school, sweating over innocent crushes on other girls that went unnoticed and unrequited. _I hope whatever this is with H isn’t like that._

But part of Evelyn still wondered if this was exactly like that – if H was just the invention of some high school or college classmate getting back at her. If all those details in H’s notes were just jokes. If all of this, which had given Evelyn such an unexpected amount of hope, was a lie.

As if to either confirm or deny Evelyn’s musings, her guard rapidly approached, dropped off a new package, and departed. Evelyn took a shaky breath before ripping the package open. She read the note first:

_Evelyn,_

_I’m sorry that Elastigirl hurt you, if she really did so. However, I’ll have you know that I’d sooner kill myself than kill her. Let’s leave her be for now, shall we?_

_To answer your questions:_

_1\. T_

_2\. T (although I don’t_ just _like women)_

_3\. T_

_I think I know you very well indeed, but still:_

_1\. You like women?_

_2\. You like me, in spite of yourself?_

_3\. Also in spite of yourself, you’re deep down very sensitive and insecure and have spent most of your life so far trying to cover it up?_

_Thank you for the Post-Its. I’m so thrilled that you loved the book as much as I thought you would. I share your admiration for Marya – she was always one of my favorite characters. I also share your estimation that both Marya and Sonya have a thing for Natasha. For a seeming-homophobe, Tolstoy really gave us gays some great content._

_I thought of sending you Anna Karenina but also figured you could use a break from long Russian novels. So instead, here are some puzzle books that should keep that brilliant mind of yours occupied._

_Yours,_

_H_

_P.S. Such luscious lips and no one to kiss them – what a shame._

_P.P.S. Do you want me to be?_

Evelyn felt her cheeks warm considerably as she finished the letter. She both resented H for not directly replying, _“Yes, I am indeed quite obviously flirting with you,”_ and admired her for what she did write. _Yes,_ her. _It’s such a relief to know for sure._

Evelyn pushed thoughts of flirting aside in favor of updating her list of facts about H with the new information H had so generously provided. _“12. Likes men and women. 13. Is married. 14. Likes my mind. 15. Really knows me.”_

Thinking about just how well H seemed to know her made Evelyn’s hand tremble as she wrote. _“You’re deep down very sensitive and insecure and have spent most of your life so far trying to cover it up.”_ Evelyn hadn’t thought that anyone had ever seen that far past her façade, and now this anonymous H person claimed to. This revelation made Evelyn feel both uneasy and – strangely – comforted.

Evelyn added one more fact to the list: _16\. Really cares about Elastigirl._ Evelyn knew they were friends, but _"I'd sooner kill myself than kill her"_ seemed extreme, and an indication of something more than friendship. _If H is in love with Elastigirl, than why is she flirting with me?_ A wave of panic bubbled up in Evelyn's chest. _She's just messing with me. She and Elastigirl together - they're just messing with me, they're just..._

Evelyn closed her eyes and took a few slow, shaky breaths. _Sending me Russian novels and puzzle books seems a long way to go to just mess with me._

Evelyn wanted to distract herself, and the stack of crossword and word search puzzle books that H had delivered looked enticing, but Evelyn would rather puzzle over: _“Such luscious lips and no one to kiss them – what a shame.”_ Was H volunteering? _It seems that way, but…_

Evelyn decided to seek confirmation with another letter:

_H,_

_Fine: no more Elastigirl, although I am deeply curious about your friendship with her. All in all, I’d rather discuss you. You have rapidly replaced Elastigirl as my favorite object of study._

_Your answers intrigue me, so here’s more questions:_

_1\. You’re married to a man?_

_2\. You still long for women?_

_3\. You, for whatever incomprehensible reason, long for me?_

_And to answer yours:_

_1\. T_

_2\. T, although I don’t even know who you are_

_3\. Fine, T. Are you by any chance my high school therapist?_

_I’m glad that we are agreed. It is Sonya that makes me question your likening me to Hélène. Despite my admitted penchant for evil, I think I am much more likely to waste away, longing for someone than I cannot have, than to go through lover after lover as Hélène does. How do you suggest I deal with this, Ms. Therapist?_

_Thanks for the puzzle books, but I confess that the puzzle of you seems to be more than enough to occupy my “brilliant mind.”_

_Not yours,_

_Evelyn_

_P.S. Fair point. Do you want to come over here and remedy that yourself? Is that how you intend to make me a believer?_

_P.P.S. While I find the attention endlessly flattering, that all depends on what’s behind it. Are you merely toying with me, Ms. H? Or do you employ these letters as a means to reach the unreachable?_

__

As Evelyn read it over, she was startled by the boldness of the letter. Very few tricks and mind games; mostly all straight to the point. _That’s not like me._

__

Everything that Evelyn had once thought defined her screamed at her to rip the letter up before H could get her eager hands on it, but Evelyn pushed those voices down. _Whatever this is and whoever she is, this is by far the most exciting thing that has happened to me in quite some time – at least since all that shit went down with Elastigirl. I’m not going to mess it up now. If she’s gonna be this honest with me, I can be honest with her too._

__

Satisfied, Evelyn put her letter where the guard would find it and perused her list about H instead of working on the puzzle books. _The greatest puzzle of all is why she cares so much about me._

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this update took so long guys! I've been away on vacation; my updates this next week will be more regular.


	6. Chapter 6

Evelyn’s heart was in her throat when she opened H’s reply – which, thankfully, came only a day later. She read:

_Evelyn,_

_I’m flattered that I have become more interesting to you than Elastigirl. However, Elastigirl was apparently only interesting to you because you hated her. Does this mean that I should fear for my life as well?_

_Your questions:_

_1\. T_

_2\. T (but I only long for one woman at the moment)_

_3\. T_

_Interesting responses. No, I am not your high school therapist. Guess again!_

_And that’s very intriguing. What makes you think that you can’t have the person you want?_

_You flatter me again. I must be quite the puzzle, because you have quite the mind._

_Yours,_

_H_

_P.S. I’m sure I could make a believer out of you that way, but unfortunately I am currently unable to visit you in person. I’m sorry. I wish that I could._

_P.P.S. I would never toy with you._

Evelyn was surprised that H admitted her attraction to Evelyn. Evelyn even dared to wonder if she could be the one woman that H longed for. She wasn't bold enough to add that to her list of facts, instead just settling for _16\. Is married to a man._

Evelyn was unable to suppress a wave of disappointment and frustration that H wouldn’t be paying her a visit. All these letters were fun, but Evelyn was becoming increasingly anxious to discover the identity of her secret admirer. _I could ask my guard…_

Evelyn banged on the door of her cell to get his attention. “Hey! I need to talk to you! Come over here before I break down this door and get you in a shitload of trouble!” 

Sure enough, the guard came on over to stand right outside Evelyn’s door. “How can I help you, Ms. Deavor?”

“You’ve been passing notes between me and someone who only goes by the name of H for quite some time now. I need to know who H is. I know that you know who H is. _Please_ tell me.” Evelyn’s own desperate babbling startled her. 

In the dim lighting Evelyn could barely make out the guard’s reaction, but from what she could tell he almost seemed _amused._

“I’m sorry, but your friend gave me very specific instructions to never reveal her identity.”

“Oh, come _on_ ,” Evelyn groaned. “You can tell me. It’s okay. She doesn’t need to know.”

“I won’t disobey my instructions.”

“But why does she care so much about keeping her identity a secret?” Evelyn exclaimed in exasperation.

“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask her yourself.” And after a moment’s pause, the guard turned and rapidly walked away.

“Hey, wait!” Evelyn called out. When he didn’t reply, she heaved a sigh and plopped down on the floor in resignation. _Guess I really will just have to ask her myself._ Evelyn grabbed a fresh sheet of paper and drafted the following:

_H,_

_You don’t have to worry about your safety. The only thing I hate about you is that I have no idea who you are. And I didn’t just hate Elastigirl. My feelings towards her were – and are – more complex than that._

_Every time you answer my questions you just make me want to ask more._

_1\. You have kids with your husband?_

_2\. I’m the one woman you long for?_

_3\. You’re embarrassed of the fact that you’re attracted to me, so you use these letters as a safer way to explore your feelings?_

_You didn’t ask me the usual three questions this time around. Does this mean you think you’ve got me all figured out?_

_And I can’t have the one person I want because I don’t know who the hell she is. Help me out here, H._

_Is it just my mind that you’re attracted to? Because unfortunately the rest of the shit that makes me who I am comes along with it._

_Not yours,_

_Evelyn_

_P.S. Why can’t you visit? What if I ask nicer? Here goes:_ please. Please _visit me._

_P.P.S. You say that you’d never toy with me, yet you string me along, butter me up, and make me care about you, all while refusing to tell me who the hell you are. For all your talk about believing, you’re only bringing out more of the cynic in me. Please stop with your games. I’ve stopped with mine._

Evelyn _hated_ the number of times she’d used the word “please.” She hated that she sounded desperate and that she had been forced to beg for answers. Most of all, she hated that she was unable to cross that word out or to rip the letter up and start over. This H person forced Evelyn to be honest even when she didn’t want to be, to bare her soul when she wanted to keep her armor on, to feel everything when she wanted to feel nothing.

And Evelyn had been honest in this letter. She had really and truly given up her usual mind games in favor of the hard truth. _It’s about time that H does the same. I don’t think my heart can take it if she doesn’t._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Evelyn's pretty desperate for a visitor. Will she get one? STAY TUNED.


	7. Chapter 7

Evelyn didn’t sleep at all for the next three nights as she awaited H’s reply. She was constantly aware of a powerful sensation of discomfort and mounting anxiety. She knew somehow that things with H were about to change significantly – for better or for worse. For the believer or for the cynic. _And knowing my luck, it’s going to be the latter._

During those sleepless nights, Evelyn tried to distract herself with crossword puzzles and word searches. She used up the rest of the pad of paper with doodles and notes. She reread favorite passages of _War & Peace_ and stared at her list about H as if it would miraculously reveal her identity if Evelyn only stared long enough.

When H’s reply finally arrived, Evelyn wasn’t sure whether she should feel relieved or terrified. It didn’t help matters that H’s reply was not in the usual letter form, but was instead just two sentences scribbled in a messy hand on the back of one of Evelyn’s _War & Peace_ Post-Its:

_Evelyn – I really can’t come see you, but I know that you need the company so I’m sending a friend in my place. I promise that I’ll answer all your other questions at another time. – H_

Evelyn stared at the note, dumbfounded. _Nothing else? And not even the usual “yours?”_

She ran through a bunch of possible explanations in her head. _1\. She’s tired of me and this is her way of ending things. 2. This whole thing was a game so when I told her to stop with her games, this is what she did. 3. I creeped her out by suggesting that I’m her “one woman” so she’s cutting me off. 4. Her husband found out so he’s making her end this. 5. She ran out of paper. 6. She’s in danger. 7. She hates my guts. 8. She…_

That persistent feeling of mounting anxiety suddenly and relentlessly overpowered Evelyn, making her shake and breathe erratically. Her chest felt unbearably tight. _She… she… she…_ Evelyn screwed her eyes shut and forced herself to breathe evenly. _It’s alright… it’s alright… it’s alright… just breathe…_ She internally repeated those words over and over again like a prayer – the words that Winston used to say to her back when she had panic attacks as a teenager or would wake up from a bad dream in a cold sweat.

When Evelyn’s breathing had somewhat returned to normal, she opened her eyes again and stared at the Post-It in her hands. She reread it carefully, paying special attention to the line she had glossed over before: _“I’m sending a friend in my place.”_

Evelyn stared at that line for several minutes before making a list of possible explanations in her mind: _1\. She’s bullshitting me. 2. She’s sending her husband. 3. She’s sending her kids if she even has kids. 4. She’s sending Winston because she knows him somehow. 5. She’s sending a random friend of hers whom I don’t even know which makes absolutely no sense. 6. She’s sending my high school therapist._

Evelyn was stumped and admittedly disappointed. Did H think another person could really visit in her place? Evelyn wasn’t opening up her measly prison cell to the general public. She didn’t like people and she didn’t want any visitors. H was the only exception.

_On the bright side, if one of H’s friends visits, I can bug them to reveal H’s identity._ Evelyn smiled slightly at that thought before frowning again. _But do I send her a reply? It would’ve been nice if she at least told me when my mysterious visitor would be making their celebrated appearance so I can be ready. How do I know when they will…_

Evelyn’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her cell door being unlocked and swinging open. She turned and watched her guard walk just barely into her cell, seemingly leading the shadowy figure behind him. “You have a visitor, Ms. Deavor.” 

Without waiting for Evelyn to respond, the guard stepped aside to reveal an exceptionally gorgeous woman dressed in a familiar tight red and black Super suit. The woman took a tentative step forward, ran a hand through her fiery hair, and stared down at Evelyn intently. “Hi, Evelyn.”

Evelyn almost choked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a short one for ya - I promise that the next one will be longer and full of angst. By the way, I wouldn't call this a songfic, but the title was inspired by the Paramore song "The Only Exception," and there is a line in this chapter that references that.  
> Please tell me what you think of this fic so far! It's pretty different from anything I've written previously so I'd really appreciate your feedback. <3


	8. Chapter 8

Once Evelyn had picked her jaw back up off of the floor, she managed to snarl, “What the fuck are you doing here?” at Elastigirl with all the venom she could muster. 

But Elastigirl didn’t answer, turning back to glance at the guard who was standing right behind her. Evelyn watched them communicate silently with a couple raises of their eyebrows before the guard cleared his throat and said, “I’ll leave you to it” before closing the door and walking away.

Elastigirl turned back to face Evelyn. Evelyn could see the nervousness in her features. “Evelyn, I know this must come as a bit of a surprise…”

“No shit. Now get the fuck out of my cell.”

“I’m here to visit you.”

“I don’t fucking want you to visit me.”

“H promised you a friendly visitor, so here I am,” Elastigirl protested.

Evelyn was preparing a sharp retort when she suddenly put two and two together. “Your H’s friend that she said would visit.”

“Yes,” Elastigirl sighed, obviously relieved.

Evelyn folded her arms in front of her chest. “Well why the fuck did she have to send you?”

Elastigirl flinched. “Because she trusts me. And because I wanted to visit you.”

“Bullshit,” Evelyn huffed.

“It’s true,” Elastigirl said. She delicately sat down cross-legged on the floor of the cell, putting herself on the same level as Evelyn. “So tell me… How are you?”

Evelyn rolled her eyes. “I’m in prison. How do you think I am?”

Elastigirl sighed again. “I can see this isn’t going to be easy.”

“Did you think anything would ever be easy for me when you put me in _jail?”_

“But what was the alternative?” Elastigirl said insistently. “I couldn’t just let you die.”

“Why not?” Evelyn almost yelled. Her head was throbbing and she wanted Elastigirl to just _go away._ “I wanted to.”

Silence fell between them. Evelyn stared at the floor, but when she reluctantly raised her eyes to meet Elastigirl’s she was surprised by the vulnerability she saw there. _I hate her_ Evelyn told herself, yet in her heart she knew that it wasn’t true. Instead, Evelyn felt her armor crack ever so slightly. 

“Look, you had no reason to save me, okay?” Evelyn said, her voice softer this time. “I… I tried to destroy your family – to destroy your _children_. I betrayed you and I caused you nothing but harm. You should have just let me go. It would have been better for both of us.”

Elastigirl looked momentarily stunned by Evelyn’s honesty. “It wouldn’t have been better for either of us. You deserved a second chance. I needed to give it you.”

Evelyn’s anger was rekindled. “You didn’t _need_ to give me anything. God, you Supers are always like this. You think that you _need_ to save people who don’t fucking want to be saved. And you don’t even do it for us. You do it for your own fucking egos.”

Elastigirl stared Evelyn down, her gaze steely. “No, Evelyn, I did it for you. I did for the you that I laughed at stupid men with. I did it for the you I stayed up too late and drank too much with. I did it for the you that I cared about, for the you that I bonded with, for the you that was my friend.” 

Evelyn wasn’t sure if she was imagining it, but it seemed that Elastigirl’s face flushed slightly as she broke the eye contact and looked at her fingernails. After a moment’s pause, she looked up at Evelyn again, her eyes full of emotion. “And even if none of that had mattered – _even_ if I had stopped caring about you when you betrayed me – everyone deserves a second chance. Even you.”

Evelyn’s heart pounded in her chest as she felt her remaining defenses fade away. She wanted to believe Elastigirl. She wanted to succumb to the feeling of warmth that was replacing her anger and spreading like wildfire throughout her whole body. She wanted to reach out and take Elastigirl’s hand in hers. 

But Evelyn wasn’t ready to give up the fight just yet. “You don’t even know me,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Oh, I think I do,” Elastigirl said. “At the very least, I know that you’re just a believer who pretends to be a cynic.”

“I am _not_ ,” Evelyn replied in mock-offense. The knowing smirk that spread across Elastigirl’s lips made Evelyn’s stomach do somersaults. Desperate to regain the upper hand, Evelyn blurted out, “Jeez Elastigirl, you’re starting to sound like H.”

Evelyn regretted her words immediately, because they made her recall the specter of H that had faded from her mind in favor of the appealing Super in front of her. _Shit, I feel like I’m cheating on H, and we’re not even together, and Elastigirl and I haven’t even done anything._

A flash of something like panic crossed Elastigirl’s face before she regained her composure and said, “And is that such a bad thing? You like her, don’t you?”

“Who, H?” Evelyn asked innocently. “Yeah, I guess, but I don’t even know who she is.” She couldn’t help herself; she just had to lean in a little bit closer to Elastigirl. “And you do. Could you tell me?”

“Sorry, no can do.”  


"Oh come on. _Please_.”

“Well, I do like hearing you _beg_ ,” Elastigirl said, sending a shiver down Evelyn’s spine. “But I can’t tell you. I promised her I wouldn’t.”

Evelyn groaned. “Why does she even care so much about staying anonymous? It doesn’t make any sense!”

That vulnerability from before was back in Elastigirl’s eyes. “I don’t know. Maybe she’s afraid to. Maybe she’s worried you’ll be disappointed.”

“Dissapointed?” Evelyn huffed. “That’s ridiculous. I already know and like so much about her. That’s not going to change just because I find out what she looks like.”

Elastigirl still seemed uncertain. “You seem so sure…”

“I am,” Evelyn said, though up to that moment she most definitely had not been sure.

“Well, I don’t know,” Elastigirl said. “It’s her choice. But I can talk to her; encourage her to tell you who she is.”

Evelyn was pleasantly surprised by Elastigirl’s cooperation. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” Elastigirl said. “So… What do you like about H so much?”

“Oh… everything,” Evelyn said, taken aback by the question. “She has a killer sense of humor. She has great taste in books. She’s smart as hell and she can follow my weird thought patterns. She’s kind and sincere and charming but also enticingly devious when she wants to be. She’s wonderfully flirty but also respectful of my boundaries. She understands who I really am and likes me for it, which is remarkable in and of itself. And I understand who she is and like her for it, so no, I don’t care what she looks like. I don’t care who she is. I don’t care how well I knew her before she started writing to me because I know and like her now and that’s more than enough.”

The two women sat in silence for several minutes following Evelyn’s impassioned declaration. Elastigirl seemed to be overwhelmed, worried, and strangely _happy_ all at the same time. Evelyn was stunned that she had just said things she had never really admitted to herself before, and while it did feel like getting a heavy weight off her shoulders, it also made her feel unpleasantly vulnerable. 

Elastigirl seemed to be going through an inner conflict of her own. After a couple minutes, she abruptly stood up. “I have to go.”

“Wait, what?” Evelyn said. She stood up too. “Why?”

“Places to go, villains to catch, you know the drill,” Elastigirl said with a crooked smile, but Evelyn could see the distress in her eyes. “I’m glad I got to come see you.”

Elastigirl turned to go but Evelyn reached out and grabbed her by the arm. “No. Stay.”

Elastigirl turned back to Evelyn extremely slowly. When they were face to face again, their noses almost brushing, Evelyn’s fingers still curled possessively around Elastigirl’s arm, Evelyn became increasingly aware of their close proximity and how easy it would be to lean in and close the remaining space between them. How easy it would be to press her lips against Elastigirl’s as she had wanted to do for so long, before she had even met her but even more so once she had, because H had been right – she felt a lot more for Elastigirl than hatred. Evelyn wasn’t sure if she had ever really hated Elastigirl at all. 

From the way Elastigirl’s eyes flicked briefly to Evelyn’s lips, Evelyn could tell that she felt the same pull that Evelyn did. But thoughts of H made Evelyn let go of Elastigirl’s arm and take a step back. “You’re right. You should probably go.”

Evelyn didn’t miss the hurt that flashed in Elastigirl’s eyes, and it took everything in Evelyn to keep herself rooted in place and not reach forward to touch Elastigirl’s arm again or even maybe her cheek, her lips… _Don’t you fucking dare Evelyn._

Elastigirl turned to go a second time and this time Evelyn didn’t stop her. All that Evelyn did do was call out to Elastigirl when she reached the doorway, “I’m glad you came to visit.”

Elastigirl turned slightly to look at Evelyn over her shoulder. “I am too.”

Silence.

Evelyn cleared her throat. “If you… came again sometime, that’d be nice.”

Elastigirl graced Evelyn with a barely perceptible smile. “Noted.”

Silence.

“Take care of yourself Evelyn,” Elastigirl said finally. “And remember – keep believing.”

And then Elastigirl turned, walked out, and closed the door behind her.

And then she was gone. And for some reason Evelyn felt that Elastigirl had taken Evelyn's heart with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok guys you have all been so lovely and generous with the comments and love that I just decided to go ahead and write the next chapter today when I was originally planning on waiting till later in the week. I hope you enjoy it - it's a big one! Please keep the feedback coming - I love hearing your thoughts. <3


	9. Chapter 9

Evelyn had hoped to get _more_ sleep after her visit from H’s friend. Unfortunately, when that friend turned out to be Elastigirl and that same Elastigirl had come so close to kissing Evelyn on her luscious (courtesy of H's lip balm) lips, sleep wasn’t happening any time soon. 

Evelyn spent the next few nights thinking about all sorts of things. _1\. Is it possible to be in love with two people at the same time? 2. Can you be in love with someone you may have never met? 3. Can you be in love with someone who used to be your nemesis? 4. Should I write something to H? 5. Should I reach out to Elastigirl? 6. How do I always manage to get myself into these fucking situations?_

But the one thing that haunted Evelyn the most was something that Elastigirl had said to her during that fateful meeting. Evelyn didn’t know why, but this one sentence kept repeating itself over and over again in her mind: “Everyone deserves a second chance. Even you.”

On Evelyn’s third sleepless night, she felt spontaneously inspired to go through all of H’s old letters. She didn’t have the faintest idea what she was looking for, but something in her urged her on.

Evelyn scanned the letters hungrily, pausing to savor her favorite lines like, _“Such luscious lips and no one to kiss them – what a shame.”_ Even as Evelyn read, the sentence – “Everyone deserves a second chance. Even you” – remained relentlessly in the back of her mind. 

And then Evelyn came to one of her very first letters from H – the one that had accompanied the copy of _War & Peace._ Evelyn scanned it disinterestedly, ready to call it quits because how the hell was she supposed to find something when she didn’t even know what she was looking for…

And then Evelyn almost stopped breathing when she read, _“I’m helping you because everyone deserves a second chance. Even you. Especially you.”_

And then Evelyn’s mind was spinning out of control as she tried to figure out how Elastigirl could have said the exact same thing to Evelyn that H had written in one of her letters. _Did H shows Elastigirl the letters? Did Elastigirl just quote it to make fun of me?_ But that didn’t seem quite right to Evelyn, because she believed in her soul that Elastigirl wouldn’t make fun of her. _It’s probably just a coincidence. God Evelyn, stop acting like such a whiny little believer._

But then Evelyn remembered something else Elastigirl had said that day – something that Evelyn had completely forgotten about until that exact moment. Elastigirl had said, “I know that you’re a believer who pretends to be a cynic.”

And then Evelyn was frantically flipping through H's letters again, looking at all the times H had written things like, _“Believe it,”_ and, _“Sounds like I am going to have to work harder to make you a believer,”_ and, _“I’m sure I could make a believer out of you that way.”_

And then Evelyn flashed back to all the times that she and Elastigirl had burned the midnight oil discussing issues from the perspectives of both a believer and a cynic. And how Elastigirl had bemoaned how cynical Evelyn was and Evelyn had scowled over Elastigirl’s blind faith and…

And then it hit Evelyn like a tidal wave.

_Holy shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a super short cliffhanger. Longer and more fulfilling chapters to come! :-)


	10. Chapter 10

_She lied to me._

Evelyn almost had to laugh – _almost_ – at the absurdity of it all, and especially of her response to the revelation that Elastigirl and H were one and the same. She had to acknowledge that most people would be overjoyed that the two people they loved were in fact the same person.

But Evelyn wasn’t most people.

_She fucking lied to me. How the fuck could she come in here and talk to me about H and lie to my face? Not only did she never tell me that she was H, but she actually tried to fucking pretend that she and H were friends. She tricked me and she betrayed me and…_

And then Evelyn’s anger cooled and was replaced almost immediately by overwhelming embarrassment. _Elastigirl knows everything about me now. That bitch…_

And then Evelyn started to think about _why. Why did Elastigirl of all people want to write letters to me? Why did she lie about who she was? Why did she send me lip balm and a gigantic Russian novel and pretend to give a shit about my time in prison when she fucking put me here? Why did she flirt with me and get me to open up and make me care about her?_

Evelyn couldn’t rationalize it. This was _Elastigirl_ – the woman that Evelyn had very nearly killed, the woman whose family Evelyn had terrorized, the woman whom Evelyn had betrayed. _I guess she decided to betray me right back._

But, this was also the woman who had always showed Evelyn nothing but kindness. This was the woman who had _almost_ made Evelyn ditch her careful plans entirely. This was the woman whose eyes sparkled dazzlingly, whose lips quirked up in the sweetest of smiles, whose touch sent electric shockwaves through Evelyn’s body.

Yes, Evelyn wasn’t most people, but she was also most definitely not an idiot. And the more her anger and bewilderment faded away, the more Evelyn began to see everything very, very clearly. _Elastigirl is in love with me, and she was worried I’d dismiss her if I knew who she was – and she was right, at that point – so she tried to get to know me by pretending to be someone else._

This all suddenly seemed so simple to Evelyn, while at the same time it bewildered her even further. The notion that Elastigirl, the woman of her dreams, was in love with Evelyn was ridiculous. _What she possibly see in me? It's all impossible._

_And yet…_

The moment Evelyn let herself believe it, even a little, she was completely helpless; she couldn’t stop. _She loves me._ Elastigirl _loves me._

But then the cynic in Evelyn was back in full force. _Of course she doesn’t love you, you moron. You fucking tried to kill her family! And even if she did love you, what do you care? You hate her, remember?_

But then Evelyn found herself believing something she had known deep-down for quite some time now. _But what if I don’t hate Elastigirl at all? What if…_

“What if I love her?” Evelyn said, and then blushed in embarrassment that she had spoken aloud, although there was no one around to hear her.

The second Evelyn had spoken those words out loud, she knew them to be true. “I love her,” she repeated to herself. “I love her I love her I love her. And I love her even more now that I know her better, now that she went out of her away to take care of me, now that I know that she – maybe – loves me too.”

Evelyn felt herself consumed by an intoxicating wave of giddiness, and it was something she was not remotely used to so she had absolutely no idea how to proceed. _What happens now? What do I say to her? How do I tell her?_

And then something wicked occurred to Evelyn. _What if I_ don’t _tell her?_

It was true that Evelyn had left her evil ways behind her, but she would never lose her signature mischief. _She took her goddamn time manipulating me for so long. Now it’s my turn…_

Her face still flushed and her hands trembling with excitement and elation, Evelyn took a moment to write – _17\. Is Elastigirl_ – with satisfaction before realizing that she probably wouldn’t be needing that list anymore. And then she wrote the following on a fresh sheet of paper:

_H,_

_I had the most interesting visit from Elastigirl a few days ago. I got the strangest feeling that she was harboring a crush on me, which would be unfortunate. Since you’re her friend, I was hoping you could pass on a message to her from me: I can never love her, let alone even like her. This is partially due to the fact that I could never love a Super, and it is also because I could never be in love with anyone else but you._

_Because the truth is – I think I’m in love with you, H. I know that probably seems completely crazy to you because I don’t even know who you are, but it’s the truth. And all the qualities that I love so much in you are sorely lacking in Elastigirl._

_Please tell her this – or if it’s too much for you, she can come visit me again and I’ll tell her myself._

_Not yours,_

_Evelyn_

Quite pleased with herself, Evelyn placed the letter where the guard would find it. _I still don’t know Elastigirl’s name though, but H could be the first letter. Hailey? Hannah? Hmmmm…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhhhh Evelyn...

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was partially inspired by the incredible (heh) fic "Letters to a Supervillain." Anywho, I'm super obsessed with these two and am excited to see where this story takes them. Warning that Evelyn curses a lot, but otherwise this will be pretty fluffy and pure. Oh and Evelyn evidently doesn't know that Elastigirl's name is Helen - that's pretty important in this fic. Stay tuned for more, and please don't hesitate to leave comments! <3


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